Global Conservation Supports Marine Biosphere Reserve Against Illegal Fishing in Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
By Alex González
The Mexican Navy conducted the boats to Puerto Balleto for further inspections and to start legal procedures against the illegal fishermen.
GC is providing CONANP critical patrolling operations funding, training, and technology to support critical operations against illegal activities. Recently, Global Conservation, with the support of CONANP, SEMAR, and PNO, deployed its first marine monitor in the archipelago.
This week, during many operationscarried out by the Mexican Navy in Islas Marias, and with the assistance of CONANP, Global Conservation, and PNO seizes boats, fishing gear are seized during an operation that uses M2 information and discovers illegal fishing on the north coast of San Juanito island, as well as a private vessel fishing near Isla Cleofas.
On July 17, the GC in Mexico team, jointly with our partners PNO, CONANP and the Mexican Navy, identified a suspicious boat north of Isla San Juanito by using the data of the Marine Monitor (M2).
This is the first documented real-time action in the archipelago, where CONANP, GC, PNO, and the Mexican Navy conducted a surgical operation to intercept and detain illegal fishing boats within the reserve.
Around 08:00 am the team detected a boat 6 miles offshore west of San Juanito island and started to communicate with the direction of the Reserve and share information with the Commandant of Islas Marías. After a few minutes of analysis and permanent communication with the Reserve, a fast boat was launched by the Mexican Navy to intercept the suspicious boat.
Surprisingly, the navy caught two poacher pangas hidden in the north part of San Juanito island, with fishing gear named "Palangres" (long lines with hundreds of hooks) and nets, focused on fishing sharks and probably mahi-mahi.
This is a good example of how Global Park Defense marine improves collaboration between government agencies and organizations in order to enforce marine protection action in this important archipelago and how technology provides critical data to decision makers, enforcement agents, and such institutions responsible for protecting this World Heritage Site.
Global Conservation and PNO are providing training in the use of the Marine Monitor, Earthranger, and other platforms to the Biosphere Reserve and Navy to enhance local skills to conduct effective remote surveillance, to define protocols for action, to ensure the effective prosecution of poachers and illegal activities, and to explore the deployment of a second M2 in the south of the archipelago, at Isla Cleofas.
We are so proud to be part of it, and to support direct actions that ensure law compliance, we'll continue to support marine conservation in Marias and extend our capabilities to increase marine remote surveillance.
We extend our deep gratitude and congratulations to the Islas Marias staff and the Comandante of the Naval Sector, the governor, and the captains for all their support and commitment, they are heroes!
